Performance (Directing)

Program Overview

MA Performance (Directing)

Overview

MA Performance (Directing) is designed to help you build a portfolio of skills and experience across diverse theatre productions. From how to develop your ideas to full scale shows, and from classical to contemporary theatre, you’ll get a broad and advanced understanding of working in theatre today.

What you'll learn

• You’ll explore approaches to directing through seminars and practical work.
• Alongside this, you’ll develop an advanced understanding of actor training, so that you can facilitate an actor’s process.
• We recognise that each director will be at a different stage in their practice, and as such we’ve designed the course to be flexible enough to support your individual development.
• Throughout your MA you’ll receive bespoke support and expert guidance to enable you to pursue your own creative journey.

Course structure

Trimester one

• The Skills Portfolio and Performance Practices modules run across trimester one and two, and work together to prepare you with an essential ‘directors toolkit’ and a theoretical underpinning to ensure you have the professional skills and knowledge to facilitate a safe and creative space, direct actors and collaborate with other artists.
• Weekly seminars bring together historical and current practices of theatre directing and performance, to advance your directing knowledge.
• Alongside this, your Professional Practices module offers you an opportunity to develop your individual professional practice through small scale productions, research and development projects or work placements.

Trimester two

• Your skills training will continue to enhance your work, and you’re encouraged to try out your own ideas, either with your own chosen cast, with a University production, or a professional company.
• You’ll get to bring your work into SparkFest, the festival we run in collaboration with Bath Festivals.
• Additionally, you’ll take a Professional Collaboration module that provides both tools and experience in working with a wide range of artists and developing performances to grow your professional profile.

Trimester three

• You can choose to undertake a more traditional written dissertation, a performance based dissertation, or a mixture of the two.
• You might direct a production, lead workshops, or research areas relating to directing as part of your dissertation.

Assessment

• You’ll be assessed by a range of methods, including:
  • Performance portfolios
  • Proposal documents for artistic ideas
  • Research projects
  • Presentations
  • Viva voces
  • Reflective learning and work-based reports or journals
  • Project evaluations.

Teaching

• The degree is delivered through a variety of workshops, lectures, seminars, masterclasses, off-site visits, performance and production work, and through the Virtual Learning Environment, Ultra.
• We invite professional visiting actors and directors to work with you, and have an ever-expanding list of lecturers, specialists, artists and guest scholars.

Opportunities

• Off-site visits: You’ll get the chance to visit theatres and venues, experience performances, and meet the people who create them. Some trips are subsidised, however, you may have to contribute to fund travel, for example.
• Work placements, industry links and internships: Throughout your course you will have the opportunity to observe, take part in and assistant direct professional creative projects with the University’s in-house production company, Bath Spa Productions.
• Career progression: The course is geared towards giving you the skills you need to develop a freelance career as a Theatre Director.

Facilities and resources

• Based at our Newton Park Campus, you’ll have access to performance studios and spaces such as the University Theatre at Newton Park, and Oldfield Park.
• Our Oldfield Park Theatre workshops are a purpose-built facility in central Bath. These facilities include:
  • Four rehearsal studios and Black Box performance space
  • Breakout spaces and quiet study areas
  • Lecture and seminar rooms
  • IT suite
  • Fully-equipped carpentry workshop and teaching space
  • Fully-equipped costume making workshop
  • Prop making workshop.

Fees

• 2025 entry:
  • UK full time: £9,225
  • UK part time: £4,613
  • International full time: £17,835

Entry requirements

• We're looking for theatre and live performance directors at all stages of their career.
• You might be a recent graduate of Acting, Theatre, Performance or a related degree, or a more experienced early career director who is keen to progress your skills.
• Generally we look for a good honours degree or higher, in an area relating to performance, or equivalent professional experience.

How to apply

• Ready to apply? Click the "apply now" button.
• Need more guidance? Head to our how to apply webpages.
• Interview: We invite all eligible candidates to attend an interview in-person or online, plus a practical audition.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

This MA Performance (Directing) program is designed for theatre and live performance directors at all stages of their career. It aims to help students build a portfolio of skills and experience across diverse theatre productions, from developing ideas to full-scale shows, and from classical to contemporary theatre. Students will have the opportunity to direct their own productions and collaborate with professionals, particularly at the student-led festival, SparkFest, run in partnership with Bath Festivals, and as part of the in-house company, Bath Spa Productions.

Outline:

The MA Performance (Directing) program is structured across three trimesters, with a focus on developing both practical skills and theoretical understanding.

Trimester One:

• Skills Portfolio and Performance Practices modules: These modules run across trimesters one and two, providing students with a "directors toolkit" and theoretical foundation for facilitating safe and creative spaces, directing actors, and collaborating with other artists.
• Weekly seminars: These seminars explore historical and current practices of theatre directing and performance, advancing students' directing knowledge.
• Professional Practices module: This module allows students to develop their individual professional practice through small-scale productions, research and development projects, or work placements.

Trimester Two:

• Skills training: Students continue to enhance their skills and are encouraged to experiment with their own ideas, either with their own chosen cast, a University production, or a professional company.
• SparkFest: Students have the opportunity to showcase their work at SparkFest, the festival run in collaboration with Bath Festivals.
• Professional Collaboration module: This module provides tools and experience in working with a wide range of artists and developing performances to grow students' professional profiles.

Trimester Three:

• Dissertation: Students can choose to undertake a traditional written dissertation, a performance-based dissertation, or a combination of both.
They may direct a production, lead workshops, or research areas related to directing as part of their dissertation.

Course Modules:

• Professional Practice
• Skills Portfolio
• Performance Practices
• Professional Collaboration
• Major Project

Assessment:

Students will be assessed through a variety of methods, including:

• Performance portfolios
• Proposal documents for artistic ideas
• Research projects
• Presentations
• Viva voces
• Reflective learning and work-based reports or journals
• Project evaluations

Teaching:

The program is delivered through a variety of methods, including:

• Workshops
• Lectures
• Seminars
• Masterclasses
• Off-site visits
• Performance and production work
• Virtual Learning Environment (Ultra)
The program also invites professional visiting actors and directors to work with students.

Careers:

The course is geared towards giving students the skills they need to develop a freelance career as a Theatre Director. Students will also be able to diversify their work by developing skills in other areas, such as:

• Creative producing
• Dramaturgy / script development
• Creative learning / teaching
• Artistic direction / management
• Fundraising
• Audience development
• Marketing

Other:

• The program offers off-site visits to theatres and venues, allowing students to experience performances and meet the people who create them.
Some trips are subsidized, but students may have to contribute to travel costs.
• Students have the opportunity to observe, participate in, and assistant direct professional creative projects with the University's in-house production company, Bath Spa Productions.
• The program has partnerships with organizations such as Theatre Royal Bath, Bristol Old Vic theatre, and Bristol School of Acting, offering opportunities for Assistant Director placements.
• Students will develop digital skills through access to the full Adobe Creative Suite, as Bath Spa University is one of only three Adobe Creative Campuses in the UK.
It also has links with the Theatre Royal Bath, the Rondo Theatre, The Egg, The Ustinov, and the Tobacco Factory.
• Students have access to facilities on other campuses, including University Theatre.
• Students have access to resources such as the Newton Park Library, the Writing and Learning Centre, the English Language Unit, the Virtual Learning Environment, the Careers team, a free equipment loan service, LinkedIn Learning, and the full Adobe Creative Suite.